Miracles and Memories
Today’s Gospel Passage about the loaves and fishes is among my favourites. I love the idea of the boy offering what he had with him so that a crowd could be fed. One of the traits that most annoys me in people is that of meanness (sometimes coupled with cuteness) and always it annoys me. On the contrary, generosity in word and deed has a good effect – a knock-on effect – and should always be encouraged. I read this Gospel passage at my father’s Funeral Mass in March 2011. It very much reminded me of him and his ways – anybody who called to our home knew what I meant. My father was obsessed with feeding people and “no” was seldom, if ever accepted as a response to having something. I asked my cousin, Sean McDonnell, to read a few words I’d written as a reflection that day and thought I might share them here again. They honour generosity and good example …
They asked me why I did it?
The truth is I don’t know – it just seemed the right thing to do. We had been standing there for hours. He had spoken so much, said so much – time just went by. People were hungry. You could see it in them and yet nobody wanted to leave. There was a muttering through the crowd – “he wants to feed us” – “With what?” someone said – “there’s no food here”.
That’s when I heard myself saying “I have something” – my voice seemed so loud. I was only a child but my voice rose above all others. “I have something”. A man asked what had I and I said “five loaves and two fish” – he smiled. I suppose now I would think it was a dismissive smile but that day I thought he was pleased. He passed on the message “There’s a small boy here with five loaves and two fish” – my heart sank when he added “but what is that between so many?” I blushed and even with my childish counting of two and two making four, I could see he was right. The man who had been talking to us did not agree. “Bring it to me”, he said and they took my food. I’ll never know how it happened but the feeding began. Bread and fish fed to five thousand.
“Why did you do it?” I’ve often thought about that. I did it because my father would have done it. He was always sharing bread with people at home. I grew up seeing him do that. Truth be told, it was he who had given me the few loves and fish before I left the house. I did it because he would have done it. It was the right thing to do.
There’s nothing to beat a father’s good example. Thanks Bill! We will not forget.
Mercy and unlocked doors
There have been many references to Pope Francis’ repeated call to bishops – indeed to all involved in ministry – to “know the smell of the sheep”. It’s a challenging but necessary call to get to know people and not just from a distance. It involves being with them in the ups and downs of life.
Patrick Kavanagh in a poem called “Father Mat”, describes the local priest as he was encountered by his flock “He was part of the place/Natural as a round stone in a grass field;/He could walk through a cattle fair/And the people would only notice his odd spirit there”. In the same poem he speaks of people’s attitude towards going to Fr Mat to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Saturday Confessions): “The knife of penance fell so like a blade/Of grass that no one was afraid.” I think Pope Francis would be happy to share a parish with Father Mat. Chances are we all would!
Kavanagh remembers this priest and puts him before us in verse not because he was a fireball in the pulpit or because he built churches, schools and halls but because he moved among his people. He knew them. He most likely never said it in as many words but it seems clear, he loved them. He saw before him, behind and around him, people in need of love and that bit of compassion that never ever goes astray. He embodied mercy – Divine Mercy.
On Divine Mercy Sunday there’s a call going out to us all to be kindly in our dealing with others, to avoid being judgmental or condemning. We are asked to hear again and again Jesus’ first words in nearly all his post-resurrection appearances: “Peace be with you”. Anything in us, about us or from us that is not encouraging “peace” is most likely not rooted in faith or a clear and thought out understanding of the Gospel message.
We are born to live. We are baptized to belong. We are here to make a difference. What “locked room” can we walk into today or in the coming days? Is it an ongoing row? Is it a strained relationship in the home? Is it a reluctance to acknowledge our own sinfulness and need for repentance? Is it doubt? What locked door stands between us and peace right now? We need to be honest enough with ourselves and others to recognise and name this door and we need faith, hope and every ounce of love that is within us to find the key, unlock and set free what is trapped within.
Recently Pope Francis spoke to the bishops of Ireland. He might or might not have mentioned the smell of the sheep to them but either way they know where he stands on that. He spoke to them about the “apostolate of the ear” – the need to listen to people and respond to what is heard. There’s a lot in that. Kavangh’s Father Mat seemed to have mastered it and that’s something to be thankful for – people who listen to us when we need to speak. Chances are though, we need that same “apostolate of the ear” when it comes to ourselves so that we can truly hear what we need to hear from our own hearts so that we can be set free, like Lazarus of the Gospel, like Thomas who had his doubts, like the disciples who had locked themselves away.
Only then can we truly appreciate the “Mercy” of the Shepherd. Only then are we in a position to shepherd (care for, truly love and mercy) those around us, depending on us for example and love. Only then can we truly grasp the depth and gift of mercy.
Lyric and tune
During the week I had a call from someone asking if I’d record the words of the poem put together in memory of the Crew of Rescue 116. I discovered that the piece had been picked up by the Connaught Telegraph and that may well have been the reason I was contacted. It was good to think the words had gone a little further than my little bit of cyberspace and I truly hope they are some help and, if nothing else, an assurance to the families of all involved that they are not forgotten and that the lives and loss of their loved ones have impacted heavily upon us. I sent the recording to the lady and believe she may use it on an upcoming Radio Tribute to the Crew. I asked my friend, Fr James McDonagh, if he’d record a solo version of “The Waves of Kilkee” (he has a fine version with his family and friends on a “Rose In The Heather” CD) and James kindly agreed. I include his tune now with the words and hope they have a place here again. (James was the friend I was speaking with the night I heard Rescue 116 pass overhead)
We remember in prayer Dara and Mark who have been returned to their families and continue to hold in the depths of our hearts a prayer for the finding of Paul and Ciarán that they may be returned to their families to allow space and time for grieving and healing. May God’s blessing be upon all those continuing to search for them and may there be a successful outcome to that search.
On Monday last I heard your sound
you in sky and me on ground,
on the phone, chatting with a friend
wondered where your journey’s end?
Someone somewhere was in need
prayed you’d reach them with due speed
and from the sky you’d hover low
to help the stricken ones below
The sound was loud as you crossed Mayo
I prayed God’s blessing as you’d go
a fleeting wish that you’d be blest
and to ones troubled you’d bring rest
An hour later I went to bed
your journey then had left my head
a few hours later the story broke
as to a new day I awoke
Helicopter missing near Black Sod;
Could it be them? I asked my God
is that the one that passed last night
to ease another’s troubled plight?
And yes it was or so it seems
in a world shattered by broken dreams
In lives laid down, you gave your all
in answer to another’s call
Your photos now before our gaze
friends and family offer tear-filled praise
and the loss they feel is ours too
for as a nation we mourn you
How could you as crew have known
the destiny to which you’d flown
but know this now and for evermore
your memories in our hearts we store
To Dara, Paul, Ciarán and Mark
who flew that night into the dark
know this day, you gave your best
in God’s hands we leave the rest.
Easter Thoughts
This is the text of a homily included in “Homilies for April” in the Furrow
“Were you there when they found the empty tomb ….” so goes the old Spiritual and it leads us to that challenging line “sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble” … There are many versions of this hymn and many ways to sing it but the lyric is constant. Questions in song: “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” “Were you there when he died upon the cross, laid him in the tomb, when the sun refused to shine ….” and always leading to the tremble – the response.
Isn’t there something good about that? There’s a response and a real one in trembling because it says something in us has been touched by an experience. Someone once said the best remedy for “trembling legs” is to kneel! To pray! Respond! At the heart of everything our faith is about and every word uttered by Christ is the desire for response.
We have it in abundance in all our Scripture and Liturgy of the past few days. “Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the saviour of the world”. “Come let us worship”. “The Light of Christ” “Thanks be to God”. “Do you reject Satan and all his works and all his empty promises?” “I do”. Cornelius’ household addressed by Peter “you must have heard about the recent happenings in Judea” (Response).”This day was made by the Lord” “We rejoice and are glad” (Response). “Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ you must look for the things that are in heaven” (Response) “Get rid of all the old yeast” (Response). Early that Easter morning they went to the tomb (Response). When they found it empty they went in search of the others (Response) and hearing the women’s story two disciples run to the tomb (Response). On seeing the tomb emptied, the truth dawned “Till that moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead”. (Response)
If the women didn’t go to the tomb how could we have known it was empty? If the apostles didn’t run to the empty tomb how could the truth have dawned for them? If Peter didn’t bother speaking to Cornelius and his household how could a conversion take place? If the men hadn’t walked and talked on the road to Emmaus how could he have joined their conversation? If there’s no response – meaningful response – to this day, to the journey we’ve been on since Palm Sunday, no since Ash Wednesday, something will be missing from our lives and a Sacred Story will go un-shared.
This Easter Day is an invitation to faith in the Risen Christ and to the lasting consolation that is the empty tomb. It is a day to hear and keep close to the heart the Easter Day stories of slowly coming to realise that He is risen. Like all invitations, some are more welcome and expected than others but out of courtesy and better again friendship, there is a need to reply. He is inviting you to the celebration in its entirety, the celebration of life and love that is around us. In a strange way too, of course, he is inviting us to “the afters”! When the living is done, the journey complete the invitation does not end. “I go,”, he told them “to prepare a place for you …. that where I am you may be too.”
It’s mighty that we are here. It’s mighty that you are all here – we have heard it all again, gone through those days again, stood at the Cross and the Empty Tomb again and now there’s only one thing needed – Response! Respond with faith, through faith and in faith.
Sometimes it causes me, causes us (and it should) to tremble, tremble, tremble ….
